Key-leveling device



.1. H; WILLIAMS KEYLEVELING'DEVICE Filed June 9, 1925 Patented Aug. 24, 1926. v i

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

JAMES H. WILLIAMS, 0]? NORWALK, OHIO, ASSIG-NOE TO UNITED PIANO CCRPORATION OF NORWALK, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW' YORK.

KEY-Inventive nnvros.

Application filed June 9,1925. Serial No. 35,5361.

Tl is invention relates to new and useful improvements in leveling devices, and par ticularly to devices for leveling the keys of grand or other pianos. V p

The keys of a piano are disposed on a key- .ioard frame, with their inner ends resting, on strip of felt. which extends beneath all of the keys. This felt strip varies in thickness, with the result that certain of the keys are elevated or depressed to an extent as to dispose their ivory-covered ends out of the horizontal plane of the remaining keys. It is therefore necessary to treat these certain keys so that their ivory-covered ends all lie in a common plane, whereby to present a neat appearance, and not interfere with the manipulation of the keys.

Heretofore,in leveling the keys of a piano, they were placed on a table, or within a piano, and then the action positioned so to rest on the inner ends of the keys. When it was found that ivoried ends certain of the keys were not level, or in the plane of the others, the action was removed, theunlevel keys withdrawn, and building-up wash ers placed on the fulcrum pins, or the keys trimmed on their under sides, as found nec essary. The keys were then restored to their places and the action againplaced in, position, this operation being repeated until the entire key-board were found to be level. This inserting and removing of the action resulted in a great loss of time and conse quent increase in expense.

It is therefore the object of the present in vention to provide means fonholdingthe keys in the positions they will assume when assembled with the action,-without it being necessary to place theaction thereon, so that they may be readily removed and replaced during" the key leveling operation.

Other obgects and advantages Wlll be apparent from the following descr1pt1on when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing: a

tion 1n operative relation to a piano keyfi Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the weighted levers removed from the rail. Figure 8 is atop plan view of several keys and the weighted levers resting thereon.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawing, 10 represents the top of a work table, which is adapted to support the base 11, on wh'ch the keys12 are mounted. On the rear portion of the table top there is disposed a depressing mechanism comprising a rail 13, whichis substantially L-shaped in crosssection, and secured tothe upper edge face of the vertical portion of said rail, by means of the screws 1%, are the forwardly extending liifurcated members 15, within each of which is pivotally mounted the end of a lever 16. The other endof the lever 16 fitted in a longitudinal groove 17, formed in the lower face of a weighted block 18. The forward end of the block 18 is beveled, as shown, and the corresponding end of the lever 16 is beveled in conformity thereto, the lower portion of the free end of the lever oeing under-beveled, as shown at 19, whereby to permit easy passage of a key thereheneath, without-the necessity of manually lifting the lever.

ilhe weight of each of the levers 16 is sutlicient to depress the key upon which it rests, to the same degree to which it will be deprest-ied by the piano action, so that the operator-may, at a glance, determine which of the keys require manipulation, to provide a level. keyheardw-Suoh keys may then be readily removed, raised by placing washers on the ful rum pins, or lowered by trimming", and quickly restored to position.

It is to be further understood that the base 11 is adapted to be engaged beneath the hooks 20, at one side, and held on the table 10 by means of the clamps 21, at the other side.

The rail 13 ismaintained against being moved outof itsproper position, when key is restored in position after having been treated, by the adjustablestops 22, held on the table 10 by means of the bolts .23, and winged nuts 24. Sometimes, when a key is inserted its inner end strikes the free end of the corresponding lever 16, without causing the lever to rise, with the result that, were the stops 22 not positioned to hold the rail, the key would act on the lever to move Figure l is a side elevationiof the'inven ma-lly resting thereon, in a the variance in thickness of the felt, at dif-' on the inner ends of the keys. The weight of the levers 16 corresponds, approximately, to the weight of the piano action, when noriano. Due to ferent points along its length, certain of the keys will be depressed more or less than the major portion of the key-board. The operator observes which of the keys are out of the plane to which said keys are to be brought, by the use of a straight-edge, and beginning at one end of the key-board, removes the first of the keys which are out of alinement, Should thiskey stand above the plane of the keys, the operator trims its lower face, at the point adjacent the pivot pin opening, and then restores it to its place, again observing whether or not sufiicient has been trimmed off to bring its outer end to the proper level. Should the key be disposed below the plane of the other keys, the operator builds it up by placing washers on the pivot pin of the key-board frame. Each key, Which rises above, or lies below the desired plane of the key-board is removed and lowered by trimming, or built up by washers, until all of the keys have been brought to the desired level, that is the ivoried-ends or playing ends of the keys.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for use in leveling the keys of a piano before they are applied to a piano action, including a base for supporting the frame of a piano key-board apart from the piano action, and means associated with the base for holding the inner ends of the keys in the depressed position, on the frame, corresponding to that normally brought about by the piano action assembly. 7

2. A device for use in leveling the keys of a piano before they are applied to a piano action including a basefor supporting the frame of a piano key-board outside of a piano, and means associated with the base for gravitation upon the inner ends of the keys to hold said ends in the depressed position on the frame corresponding to'that normally brought about by the-piano action assembly. 7

A device for leveling the keys of a piano before they are assembled with a piano action including a base for supporting the frame of a piano key-board, apart from the piano action, and means associated with the base for gravitation upon the inner ends of the keys for holding said ends in the depressed position on the frame normally brought about by the piano action assembly.

4. A device for use in leveling the keys of a piano before theyare assembled with a piano action including a base for supporting the frame of a key-board apart from the piano action, and means associated with the base and operable uponthe inner ends of the keys for holding the same in the depressed position on the frame normally brought about by the piano action assembly.

5. A device for use in leveling the keys of a piano before they are applied to a piano action including a base for supporting the frame of a key-board apart from the piano action, a rail on the base, and a series of levers on the rail adapted to engage with and hold the inner ends of the keys in the depressed position on the frame normally brought about by the piano action assembly.

6. A device for use in leveling the keys of a piano before they are applied to a piano action including a base for supporting the frame of a key-board apart from the piano action, a rail mounted on the base, and a gravity lever pivoted on the rail and adapted to engage and depress the inner end of a key to a degree normally brought about by the piano action assembly.

7. A device for use in leveling the keys of a piano before they are applied to a piano action including a base for supporting the frame of a keyboard apart from the piano action, a rail on the base, and gravity levers pivoted to the rail and adapted, when said frame. is supported on said base, to en gage the inner ends of the keys and depress them into their normal action depressed position.

8. A device for use in leveling the keys of a piano before they are applied to a piano action including a base for supporting the frame of a key-board apart from a piano and the action thereof, means for clamping the frame on the base, and means for depressing the-inner ends of the keys, when said frame is supported on said base, into a position on the frame corresponding to that normally brought about by the piano action assembly.

9. A device for use in leveling piano keys apart from a piano and the action thereof comprising a base for supporting the frame of a key-board, clamps for engagement with' the frame and base, and means for depress ing the inner ends of the keys, when said frame is supported on said base, into a position on the frame corresponding to that normally brought about by the piano action assembly.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

JAMES H. WVILLIAMS. 

